Despite the fact that Pakistan’s gorgeous north has long been a popular destination for mountaineers from across the globe in all seasons, the country is now attempting to position itself as a winter tourist destination.
Winter sports and cultural festivals are held yearly in Pakistan’s snow-covered valleys to promote adventure and winter tourism, as well as to draw both local and foreign visitors to the country. Despite specific coronavirus limitations, Pakistan is prepared to welcome travelers to renowned winter locations in the country this year, according to officials. Visitors must have confirmation of vaccination, either in the form of a physical document or a digital file, since new strains of the virus continue to cause worry.
Pakistan has a number of winter vacation spots.
Pakistan is well-known for its warmth, delectable food, historical landmarks, and, above all, its gorgeous mountains, which can be seen from space. Pakistan is home to five peaks with elevations more than 8,000 metres, including K2, the world’s second-highest mountain and the highest point in the country.
The government is steadily investing in facilities and infrastructure in order to provide additional attractions for sightseers, skiers, trekkers, and mountaineers via the organization of adventurous sports as well as cultural celebrations and events. As part of its air safari service, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has restarted its flights to Skardu, which is hailed as “the most gorgeous and exhilarating flight in the world” due to its spectacular vistas of the world’s tallest mountains.
Hunza and Skardu
In addition to its unique natural beauty, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is renowned for its stunning valleys, which include the Swat, Kaghan, and Kumrat valleys, among others. It is sometimes referred to as the “Switzerland of the East” because of its lush green pine forests, snow-capped hills, and glittering lakes.
The isolated valley of Kumrat has been dubbed the “hidden jewel of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa” because of the region’s fairytale atmosphere, deodar-forested mountains, and waterfalls, as well as its isolation. Another location in KP that is worth seeing is the Galiyat area, which comprises the towns of Nathiagali, Donga Gali, Changla Gali, and Ayubia. The Galiyat area is known for its snow celebrations, which are accompanied by exciting adventure activities that draw in large crowds.
Neelum Valley
The scenic Neelum Valley, which stretches for around 240 kilometers to the north and north-east of Muzaffarabad, is a popular tourist destination. It runs along to the Kaghan Valley and is separated from it by a range of snow-covered peaks, some of which are more than 4000 meters above sea level. The valley’s outstanding scenic splendor, panoramic perspective, towering hills on both sides of the rumbling Neelum river, thriving green woods, streams, high altitude lakes, and pleasant surroundings make it a dream come true.
Mountain tourism is also a popular activity in the region. This region contains a portion of the Nanga Parbat Massif, which is dominated by the “Sarwaali Peak” (6326 meters), which is the highest peak in Azad Kashmir. It is also well-known for fishing and angling activities in the Neelum River and Jagran Nullah, both of which have been stocked with trout fish, as is the Kaghan Valley region.
Tourists may go up to Kel, which is 165 kilometers from Muzaffarabad, over a route that is passable in good weather. Coaches run along this route on a regular basis, and lodging options are available at several tourist destinations along the route.
The following are some of the tourism attractions:
There are many places to visit in the area: Noseri Dam, Chilhana, Kundal Shahi, Kutton (Jagran Valley), Authmuqam, Karen, Upper Neelum, Dawarian, Rati Gali, Lake Sharda, Kel, Arang Kel, and Gurez Valley.
Swat, Galiyat and Kumrat in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (also known as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa or KPK) is one of Pakistan’s four provinces and was once known as the North-West Frontier Province. It is one of the country’s four provinces. It is situated in the country’s northwestern part, close to the Afghanistan–Pakistan border, and has a population of around 500,000 people.
In the past, it was known as the North-West Frontier Province (NWFP) until 2010, when the 18th Amendment to the Constitution of Pakistan changed the name to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. It is also known by a variety of other names in colloquial speech. The province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is Pakistan’s third-largest province in terms of both population and economy, despite the fact that it is the country’s smallest geographically of the four provinces.
Pakhtunistan, the Land of the Brave Pakhtuns Traveling northwards brings one to the Swat valley, which is a lush green paradise for tourists, full of beautiful and scenic locations like as Marghazar, Miandam, Malam Jabba, Gabino Jabba, Jarogo Waterfall, and Kalam sub valley, which are well worth seeing. Mansehra is a major city in the province and is considered to be one of the most significant in the country.
The city serves as a key stopover for travelers traveling to the Northern Areas and Azad Kashmir from other parts of the country. The city is linked to the rest of the world by the well-known Karakoram Highway, which leads all the way to China. There are a number of stops along the way, including the Kaghan Valley, Balakot, Naran, Shogran, Lake Saiful Mulook, and Babusar Top, amongst others.
Apart from these, there are numerous additional tourist destinations in the province that draw considerable numbers of visitors each year, including Ayubia, Batkhela, Chakdara, Saidu Sharif, Kalam Valley, and the Hindu Kush mountain range in Chitral, among others.
Given Swat’s enthusiasm for snow sports, it provides for an excellent winter vacation location. The Malam Jabba Ski Resort in the Hindu Kush mountain range, located at a height of 2,804 meters (9,199 feet) and offering ideal winter sports conditions, contains everything a sportsperson may want for a climb or a journey.
The picturesque Malam Jabba Ski Resort is located around 48 kilometers (29 miles) east of Saidu Sharif Swat and approximately 275 kilometers (170 kilometers) northwest of Islamabad. The Ski Resort is equipped with two 800 meter ski lines, an ice skating rink, and appropriate hotel amenities for tourists to enjoy themselves.
Punjab’s cultural and historical landmarks
In addition to many history and cultural monuments, the province of Punjab is home to fertile agricultural fields, a large network of rivers and canals, temples, and forts and gardens dating back to the Mughal Empire. It is a fusion of religious and cultural traditions, with Sufi shrines, Buddhist monasteries, Sikh gurdwaras, and Hindu temples dotting the landscape across the province.
Punjab is the most culturally and historically diverse of Pakistan’s four provinces, and it is also the most populous. In Pakistan, Punjab, which translates as “Land of Five Rivers” and “House of the Granary,” is the most fertile and densely inhabited province with a population of over 100 million people.
Some of the most popular tourist locations are the walled city of Lahore, holy shrines in Multan, splendid castles in Bahawalpur, and Derawar Fort in the Cholistan Desert, all of which have rich cultural heritage.
On the geological scale, it is an arid wasteland, with everything from sandy desert to lush green fertile plains, odd terrain such as the Pothohar plateau and salt range, and pine-covered slopes of the Himalayan range.
Punjab has the distinction of having the most well-organized irrigation system in the nation. It is here that the majority of Pakistan’s wheat, rice, cotton, barley, pulses, oil seed, sugarcane, and tobacco are cultivated, as well as the majority of the country’s cotton.
Authentically, Punjab is a place that is both historically outdated and technologically sophisticated. Despite the fact that Punjab has well-planned cities and beautifully conceptualized residential colonies, the vast majority of its people live in rural areas where life revolves around the cycle of seasons, punctuated by a rich variety of traditions, fairs, and colorful folk festivals held throughout the year. Punjab is a province with a rich variety of traditions, fairs, and colorful folk festivals held throughout the year.
The majority of the dwellings in rural areas are constructed of mud and clay, with straw added for reinforcement and insulation. You can see it in their eyes as they stand proudly guardians of the thousands-year-old Harappa Civilization, the splendor of the Mughal Empire, and a civilization that has stood the test of time.
Experience the warmth, toiling strength, and artistry of Punjab’s people by spending some time in a hamlet. Their pottery and clothing designs will give you a sense of the province’s people and their culture.
Punjab is well-known for both its historic cultural legacy and the variety of its religious traditions. Punjab has long been home to a multitude of Sufi Shrines, Hindu Temples, and Sikhism’s holiest places, all of which are located inside its borders. Once upon a time, the Indus Valley Civilization controlled the area.
Additionally, the Gandhara civilisation was highly strong in the northern part of Punjab, namely around Taxila. In terms of architectural style, Punjab has a unique blend of Mughal, Sikh, and colonial influences.
Quetta and Ziarat in Balochistan
Experience the beauty of a snowstorm on Earth while taking in the breathtaking vistas of Quetta and Ziarat in Balochistan.
As a nation of outstanding geological and topographical features, Balochistan has beautiful deserts, towering mountain ranges, and a magnificent coastline area that includes Gwadar beach and Astola Island. In the area, the deserts of Nushki and Kharan are considered to be some of the most magnificent in the world.
Ziarat Valley is the most popular tourist site in Iran, and it is also home to the world’s second-largest Juniper forest, which is located there. During the summer, the valley is chilly, and during the winter, it is snow-covered.
Hanna Lake, which is located near Quetta and is covered with snow during the winter, is another beautiful site to visit in the area. Hingol National Park in Balochistan is well-known for its unusual rock formations as well as its large number of different animal species.
The city of Quetta, Pakistan, is renowned as the “Fruit Garden of Pakistan” because of the abundance of fruit orchards and the production of dried fruits in the area. The city has a population of around one million people. A short two-hour journey from Quetta, the Ziarat Valley is renowned for its captivating scenery, massive mountains, and chilly weather, which draws visitors from all across Pakistan.
Forts, deserts and beaches in Sindh
There are also sandy deserts and amazing landscape stretches as well as green fields in central Pakistan, as well as glittering beaches and the Arabian Sea in the south, for those who do not like icy valleys.
A well-preserved remnant of Indus Valley Civilization, the ancient city of Moenjo Daro, and numerous other historical sites and forts can all be found in Sindh, as well as gorgeous beaches and the commercial capital of Karachi, which is located in the province of Sindh.
Winter is the finest season to learn about the culture of inner Sindh, where temperatures in the summer vary between 40 and 50 degrees Celsius throughout the day. It is possible to see the splendor of Sindh via the fortresses of Ranikot, Umerkot, and Kot Diji, which serve as reminders of the ancient days when Pakistan was known as the birthplace of civilizations.